British Columbians are heading to the polls on October 19th, and BC Election 2024 campaigns are in full swing. Not sure what to say when your candidates come knocking? Our lawyers have put together a list of five questions for BC election candidates about a few key priorities for nature and communities.
Environmental Law Alert Blog
Through our Environmental Law Alert blog, West Coast keeps you up to date on the latest developments and issues in environmental law. This includes:
- proposed changes to the law that will weaken, or strengthen, environmental protection;
- stories and situations where existing environmental laws are failing to protect the environment; and
- emerging legal strategies that could be used to protect our environment.
If you have an environmental story that we should hear about, please e-mail Andrew Gage. We welcome your comments on any of the posts to this blog – but please keep in mind our policies on comments.
Fall is a wonderful time to get out in the woods with family. This fall, as British Columbia is gearing up for the upcoming provincial election, it’s also a crucial time to be thinking about the government policies and laws we need to maintain healthy, thriving forests into the future.
As we head into election season in BC, brace yourself for a lot of talk about managing taxpayer dollars and balancing budgets. But let’s make sure that politicians can’t duck a pressing financial question that’s only getting worse: how are we going to pay for the rising costs of climate change?
The Andrew Thompson Award honours individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to environmental protection and sustainability in British Columbia through the law. In recognition of West Coast’s 50th Anniversary, the theme of this year will be “50 Years of Changemakers for Environmental Justice."
Efforts to streamline regulatory processes are particularly prevalent when it comes to environmental laws. Problems arise when efficiency comes at the expense of environmental protection, or is simply a guise for rubber-stamping applications for potentially harmful resource extraction projects.
How can we stop stormwater from harming fish? We look at some of the ways that governments and communities can start filling regulatory gaps and implementing creative solutions for stormwater planning to reduce harm now.
This summer, we were lucky to have five talented law students working with us on a wide range of projects related to fish habitat protection, climate accountability, fossil fuel finance, revitalizing Indigenous laws and more. They share a few reflections on their time with us.
Urban pollution is killing salmon and hurting local waters. Who is responsible? We explore sewage and stormwater in urban settings; how polluted stormwater affects urban creeks and fish; and how stormwater still exists in a regulatory no-man’s land.
The Sue Big Oil campaign is a collaboration of British Columbians concerned about the harmful impacts of climate change on BC communities and the skyrocketing costs for local governments and taxpayers. As the campaign enters its third year this summer, we asked Staff Lawyer Andrew Gage about the progress and potential of this key campaign.
Throughout West Coast’s history, we’ve been committed to transforming the legal landscape in ways that are more sustainable, more democratic and more just. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re reflecting on five key moments that have made the organization into what it is today.